Whitecaps FC match day community partner: BC Transplant

July 11, 20139:38 AM PDT

Joey Leung

Canada’s organ donation rate ranks in the bottom half of all countries where transplants are performed.

At the match on July 14, Whitecaps FC will host BC Transplant as the club’s match day community partner. 85% of BC residents support organ donation but only 18% have registered their decision. At the match, you have the opportunity to register to be an organ donor and save up to eight lives.

Here at the ‘Caps, our own Digital Media Manager, Adam Rootman, wonders if his life would be a little different if his wife, Debra Karby, received a liver transplant.

In March 2011, Deb was diagnosed with an aggressive form of liver sarcoma. This form of cancer is known to not respond well to chemotherapy and her tumour was considered too large to be surgically removed. After six high dose rounds of chemotherapy, Deb was devastated to learn that it was ineffective and her only chance of living was to receive a liver transplant.

While researching her prospects of receiving a liver transplant, Deb realized how small Canada’s organ donor list actually is.

“Too many people needlessly die waiting for an organ,” Deb said in a Facebook post. “If I have made just one person think about joining the donor registry, well, I will feel good about the life their organs may one day save.”

In the end, due to the nature of Deb’s illness, she did not qualify to be a transplant recipient.

Debra Karby passed away in November 2012 and is survived by her two sons Sacha and Tobyn, and her husband, Adam.

“At the end of her life, she became really passionate about organ transplant and just getting the word out there,” added Rootman. “It is amazing to share her story and I've often wondered if more people were registered organ donors, if the outcome could have been different.”

Organ donations save lives. More than 500 British Columbians are waiting for a life saving transplant. To learn more and to register your decision today, please visit transplant.bc.ca. You can also visit BC Transplant at the Vancouver's match on July 14 at ‘Caps Kickoff on Terry Fox Plaza before the match, or on the concourse of BC Place at Section 213.